Eulogies and Epitaphs
by KittyGonzales
Summary: The crew of Serenity says their good-byes. One-shot. Post-BDM.


_Author's Note:__ I know it doesn't exactly agree with the movie's depiction, but… _

* * *

The minister said kind, reassuring words, even though he'd never met any of them, and he got facts wrong and mispronounced names. Each time, Mal quietly correctly him, and when it was over, he thanked him for coming out all that way, and the minister assured him that it was no trouble, and left.

They stared at the graves in silence for an impossibly long time. Finally, Kaylee broke the silence. She was staring at the headstone that brought her the least pain. "Mr. Universe… did he have a _name?"_ Her voice was strained from the effort to keep from crying. (Though that effort was mostly fruitless.)

"I'm sure he did, but I don't know what it was." Mal said. He looked more worn down and cynical than ever.

"I… I think Wash knew." Zoe said. It was the first thing she'd said in days. She wondered, numbly, if Mr. Universe had any family, and if they'd ever know he was dead. She thought of Lenore, staring blankly, neither knowing nor caring that her "husband" was dead, simply sitting and waiting until her batteries ran down.

They stood in silence for a little longer. Then to everyone's surprise, Jayne cleared his throat and spoke, directing his words directly at where Derrial Book now rested.

"This wasn't what I thought. I always imagined you speaking at my funeral, saying pointless prayers and silly psalms. Not that I cared about the religious stuff. Would've been nice to be mourned, though."

They were all dully surprised that Jayne had had such a sincere, coherent thought. Mal clapped a hand on his shoulder, silently thanking him for saying something. He thought he ought to say something, as well. He was the captain, after all.

"Mr. Universe, I didn't know you too well, but you helped us out in many a spat. Sheppard, we didn't always see eye to eye on some things, religion mostly, but you were a great man, and…" _I understand what you said about belief now,_ he thought, and _You said you weren't part of my crew. That's not true. Doesn't matter if you left my ship, you were still my crew. _and then, desperately, _I'll hear about the Good Samaritan now. Just one more sermon, please…_ Out loud, he said, "…and we'll miss you like Hell.

And Wash... You were the best pilot- Hell, the best_ person- _I've ever met_." _Again, he thought more than he said._ Remember the run-in with Niska? You're stronger than you thought. Please tell one more stupid joke, with just one more big, stupid grin._ he swallowed, and couldn't say another word.

Kaylee stepped forward. In her mind, she composed a perfect speech. _Mr. Universe, I never met you, but I'm sure you were a good person, and it's not fair for you to be killed like that. Sheppard, do you remember when you first came aboard, and you held my hand while I was sick? I wish you could hold my hand one last time. Wash, the ship will never be the same without you. We'll miss your smile, and those stupid dinosaurs- we're never taking those of the console, ever. I wish you could make us laugh, just one more time. Goodbye, all of you._

However, whenever she opened her mouth to speak, all that came out was a wailing, passionate sob. She buried her face in her hands, and stepped back, trying to subdue her tears.

There was a moment of silence, during which all eyes turned to Zoe. Some looked expectant, others curious. She'd barely spoken lately; they wondered if she'd find her voice now.

She stared at the tombstone, and the smiling face of her husband. She thought of a bedroom conversation, half-smiling at the memory. "_I'll read a nice poem at the funeral… Something with imagery."_ And she knew what to say.

She stood forward, cleared her throat, and said, "Here lies my beloved Wash, my leaf on the wind, slightly less attractive now that he's all corpsified and gross."

The crew all looked, shocked, or concerned. One day, she knew, she'd have to deal with her real grief. But for now, she knew that Wash would have been proud.


End file.
